When Biba Adams asked me for an interview, I truly felt honored. This skilled Detroit lady is not just anybody: she has made a name in Detroit for her work and engagement towards her City and Detroit hip hop. If you come accross her articles, she will manage to raise emotions and transport you into her universe…many thanks, Biba, you are a great writer and journalist:)

1. What motivated you at first to become a writer?

I have always been a writer. I wrote my first short story at 9, and I would write a lot of stories and little novels most of my early life. However, I happened to luck up on doing a hip-hop column for Real Detroit Weekly (a newspaper here in Detroit) in November of 2003. I was trying to get a job as an advertising sales person, but I got the job of a hip-hop columnist instead. My first article was a cover story on Jay-Z.

2. According to you what are your main strengths as a person and as a writer?

I think my main strengths as a writer are the same as my main strength as a person. I am a very emotional and sensitive woman. I think my emotion and sensitivity make me a great writer because it makes people feel my words. I think people feel what I am saying and the feeling with which I write. I have the ability to help people feel my passion. I think that is a great strength, of course, it can be a weakness too, I could probably never write about politics, or sports, I am not a numbers person, I am not cut and dried. Music is emotional, and so am I. So, that’s why I do so well with music/entertainment journalism.

3. Did the city of Detroit influence your writing style? If so, to what extent?

I think Detroit definitely influenced me in general. Except for a short time here and there, I have always lived here. Being in Detroit, from Detroit, is a really cool experience. Detroiters are definitely underdogs, we are not very well-respected in national and even international media. People have this misconception of my city that we are all being held hostage, surrounded by criminals, that Detroit is an extraordinarily violent place. It can be a dangerous place, but can all urban centers. I have had a very happy and peaceful life here. There are a lot of abandoned buildings, but there are also a lot of extraordinarily beautiful homes. There are mansions in Detroit, in the city limits. There is a lot of water, so we enjoy beautiful shore lines and the serenity of living off a large river. We are a border city, so we can stand and stare into Canada. Detroit has so much culture, so much history, it is a beautiful place to live. That is what influenced me. I live in a really wonderful city. Detroit has influenced me, specifically, Detroit hip-hop has influenced me because it’s hard to hear so much amazing music and know that the world may never hear it. That’s painful, it hurts, and so, I’m driven to get the word out about my friends.

4. Not only are you an excellent writer, but you are also pretty much involved into the Detroit hip hop scene. What do you like in particular with the Detroit scene?

What’s not to like?! Like I said in one of my posts, and I say all the time, it’s a great blessing to be friends with and fans of a musical artist. I get to do that with dozens of people. These are people that I truly love. This is my extended family. My love for many of Detroit’s music artists is beyond superficial, many of us have been friends for ten years. We love each other, we love each other’s families, and children. We have dated each other, had kids with each other, we are all so interwoven and interconnected, we have been having one long connected experience. What we have here in Detroit is very special. It’s something most people could probably never understand.

5. Who is your favorite local artist and why?

My favorite local artist is Royce Da 5’9”. I think Royce is the best that Detroit has to offer lyrically. Royce is a consummate artist. He can be a battle rapper, he can be a skilled lyricist, he can slice with his words like a surgeons scalpel or like a chainsaw. He can also be a storyteller and is just an incredible artist. I also love him dearly as a person. I value his friendship, he is very funny, and very genuine. He is just an incredible person. I think he will be huge very soon. I envision him being a Grammy award winner. I want that for him.

6. You have known Deshaun Holton aka Proof personally. You are also the author of a very moving article about RIP Proof.
A few words about the man and the artist?

Proof was a wonderful person. He was the funniest man I knew. He had such an inner light. When he would walk into a room, people would just light up being in his presence. He could make a boring party, a better party. He was very sweet and very affectionate. He loved to kiss. He would kiss everyone on their cheek. And he knew so much about everyone, he was a secret-keeper, and he was not judgmental at all, I loved that about him. He was very genuine and a very good person. He is very much missed. As an artist, Proof was an incredible wordsmith, he would rhyme any word and he was a freestyler the likes of which most people could never understand. I remember that he would rap for hours. He was great. He was a good person. He was good to everyone and he made everyone feel special. I miss that.

7. As a testimony to your presence to Eminem’s recent come back concert in Detroit, you have written a very moving article entitled “ Relapse” in which you are exploring Marshall Mathers’ emotional side at the concert. Would you mind sharing your emotions/ impressions about the show with all of us?

Marshall is a very interesting person. He is very shy, actually, very reserved when you are around him. Because of how huge he got in such a short time, it affected him a lot of different ways. I didn’t know him before he was famous, when I met him, it was just before his second album, he was still somewhat easy to get close to, but even then he wasn’t very trusting, but he respects people who respect him. As far as the show and the album, I think it’s a great project. I know that it had to be hard for him to write and record without drugs, because they were such a big part of his life. Now not only is he drug free, but he doesn’t have Proof to lean on, he is in the midst of a new life. I think that Relapse is less about going back to drugs, but relapsing into his musical life. Relapsing into being a rapper and everything that comes with it. He is a good person, and I care for him deeply. I would love to work with Shady Records in a larger capacity. I hope that we get the chance to work on some projects together soon.

8. Who would you consider a model in terms of writing? Do you have a local or national / foreign writer who is a great source of inspiration to you?

I don’t really have a model in terms of writing. I am an avid reader. I read a lot. I love fiction, and I am a huge Stephen King fan. I love Harry Potter, I think those books changed my life. The visual quality of the work, made me want to raise the bar. I like to read music biographies about all different kinds of artists. I think that in terms of Journalists that I look up to, I would have to say, Nelson George, Bakari Kitwana, Anselm Samuel, Dream Hampton, Aliya S. King, and Kim Osorio, would have to be some that I really admire because they write about black music and they were very influential at a time when we, as fans, needed them the most.

9. Which publications/ books do you currently have at your active?

I am currently reading a lot of spiritual books because I am trying to be a better person. I read a lot of Deepak Chopra, I love his work and his teaching, I would love to spend time with him. His work taught me a lot. I am planning to start a new Stephen King, and I just pick up stuff. I am kinda reading a book called The Tipping Point, planning to revisit The Celestine Prophecy, and planning to read Conversations with God, and all of Paulo Coehlo books. That’s a goal. This summer, I will be teaching reading and writing to high schoolers, after that, I plan to build my business and travel. I hope to go to Brazil for three weeks, and plan to read a lot then.

10. What are your future writing projects for 2009/2010?

I am hoping that I get a grant to write a book documenting Detroit’s hip-hop history. This has been a goal of mine for about five years. Hopefully, I will get enough money to take a year off work and just focus on getting the book done. I am also working on some historical projects. Trying to have St. Andrews Hall declared a historic landmark, and get a mural done on the side of the building. I am trying to do a Detroit photojournalism exhibit. Just focus on preserving, promoting, and protecting Detroit hip-hop, that’s my life’s goal.

11. What would be your advice to aspiring journalists/ writers?

My advice to aspiring writers would just be…write. There are so many outlets for writers now with the internet. You can be a successful blogger, you can get in with a good site. I say just read a lot and work on your craft. I’ve been as successful as I have because I chose a niche, I focus on Detroit and because of that specialty, I get a lot of opportunity.

12. Where would you envision yourself-professionally speaking- within the next 5 years?

I would have to answer the question from the personal side first, I hope to marry the man I love and have his children, I hope we can build his business, and make that the center of our family life. Meanwhile, I would continue to work on my writing career and my music publicity career. In five years, I hope to have published my Detroit hip-hop music book, a novel or two, I would like to have been featured in all the major music publications as a writer and or interview subject. I hope to lecture about Detroit hip-hop history and enlighten people all over the world about the rich musical legacy of my hometown. Detroit, there is no place like my home. Peace, Isabelle, thank you.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

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Exclusive Eminem Tees from MySpace and ShockHound!

Exclusive tees from our friends at MySpace Music and ShockHound. Quantities are limited. Like, really limited. Once they’re gone, they’re gone for good

1.What makes Isabelle..Isabelle? As a professional and as a person in general.

Good question! As a person, a good dose of enthusiasm, personal conviction, honesty and sometimes rage in specific situations. I try to always stay true to myself.

The same as above also applies to the professional person, of course. As a professional, I try to raise enthusiasm and interest and to share it with people. I am deep into what I am doing. I speak out my mind in any case, because I don’t say things to please people.
In general, people value that.

2.What is your profession and where do you think you stand among your competitors and or associates in your field?

I am a freelance music journalist. Along with this I am also a tutor of German and French. But let’s talk about what I like doing most, the writing thing.

Well, it is always difficult to situate myself in the business. All I can say is that I have improved my writing skills through the years and done some interesting interviews with artists such as Dirty Red ( who has known Eazy E personally) and Detroit emcee Dogmatic, a close friend of D12’s Proof…I’ve been published on some online magazines and written for Detroit’s ILL Mag too where I got the chance to interview Proof ( the interview got never published though), Purple Gang and Woof Pak…

It is really hard to emerge in this business, but I think I’ve done some good progress. I keep grinding, of course!

3.When did you decide to take on this profession and are you where you thought you’d be when you made the choice?

I decided to be a music journalist after writing an Eminem biography in 2002 ( kept in form of a manuscript till now), because I wanted my work to be known by people. But in the end, I find music journalism more interesting than authoring, because you are investigating even more. A journalist is a sort of detective, you know…but I love being a musical detective…couldn’t live without hip hop…

Actually Gavin Sheridan gave me my chance to prove my skills in 2003…

4.What drives you to wake up everyday and get out here and do what you do?

It’s the music and the determination to achieve something concrete in this field. One of my characteristics is a strong determination. I can get discouraged, I can feel disgusted, weak, I can fall, but I WILL NEVER GIVE UP.

5.Who is your favorite Emcee, RnB Artist & producer?

I have a few faves. The old Eminem ( I mean what he did in the past influenced me for a great part and motivated me to achieve something in my life), the D12 emcees, Eazy E from the Cpt, Nas, Ice Cube, but I also love many underground emcees like Trick Trick or I-Mac…
I am not so much into RnB, but one name caught my attention…and it is Ron Patterson, he’s quite good at it.
As a producer, I find Denaun Porter really competent. He is so much underrated!

6.If you were to compare yourself to a successful business tycoon whom would it be and why?

It would certainly be Dr Dre…I admire his competence in beat makings and producing. He’s pretty cool too and seems to have stayed down to earth, despite his giant status.

7.What are your goals for the next 5 years and how do you plan to accomplish them?

My goals are to achieve something as a writer in the hip hop business. Either I will start my own business or I will try to get more connexions to become a well known hip hop magazine staff writer…I know I still have to define my plans more precisely, they are still in the works…In any case, I want recognition for hard years of work and I know I’ll have to sweat for it for a while…

8.Who is your favorite LOCAL DETROIT Emcee, RnB artist & producer?

Again, I could name several names such as Trick Trick ( I love his gangsta style), Dogmatic and of course Proof ( he was amazing), I like I Mac who renamed themselves I Dash, Mu, Journalist 103 and many more…but generally speaking and particularly on the Detroit scene, I like it raw and gangsta…
In non hip hop artists, I think that Monica Blaire is very talented…she deserves to be known better!
Again, I really value Mr Porter as a Detroit producer, but should i classify him as local or not?

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Ann Arbor needs a skate park. And there are at least 30 reasons why. Right now Ann Arbor skateboarders need to travel to neighboring communities like Westland, the Meijers skate park in Brighton, or the Modern Skate Park in Royal Oak in order to get their vertical fix. It does no good for the city of Ann Arbor when its citizens need to travel out of town in order to have fun and get some exercise when the city could instead be drawing skate tourists to itself. And how is it that a city like Ann Arbor doesn’t have its own skate park? There are many good reasons to build a skate park in Ann Arbor with reason number 30 being “If a city doesn’t have a skatepark, it is a skatepark.” Words to live by.

Even those of us who don’t live in Ann Arbor should support an additional skate park in Metro Detroit as a cost effective way to make Detroit a more livable place while improving its image and attracting a few more tourists. This Friday, May 15 you can have some fun and support this cause at the same time by attending the Ann Arbor Skatepark Benefit Art Show at the Vault of Midnight comic book store in Ann Arbor at 219 S. Main St from 7 to 10 p.m.

“For this free, public event, fifty artists will be custom designing and painting skate decks to be judged by a panel. Artists include Jim Mahfood, Triston Eaton, BLOKT, AZK One, Corryn Jackson, Jeremy Bastian, Jay Brant and many more! The winners will be selected on both youth and adult categories. All decks will be available at via live and silent auction, 100% of the proceeds will benefit the AASAC.

Free food will be provided by Trader Joe’s, and live music will be played throughout the evening by Mogi Grumbles, Charles Trees, and DJ Ornate.

All of the decks will be displayed at Vault of Midnight for two weeks before moving to the Ann Arbor Art Center as a touring exhibit. The Art Show will be part of a weekend of free events aimed at raising awareness about the AASAC and the construction of a free, public skatepark in Ann Arbor for the use of its residents.”

And just to get you in the mood here are some Detroit skate videos from Youtube:

Detroit City Skateboards - Team Montage, lots of Hart Plaza and downtown Detroit footage

City Skateboards Demo at West Bloomfield Skatepark

Skate Detroit - one percent skateboards, featuring locations in Midtown, Downtown, and on the river

So it looks like we have a new mayor again, this time Dave Bing, the former NBA star and industrial magnate. So who is Dave Bing? Although not a native son of Detroit Bing was born in the poor neighborhoods of Washington, DC in 1943. It wasn’t until in 1966 when the Detroit Pistons failed to get their first choice and got Bing instead that Bing and Detroit’s destinies became entwined. He turned out to be a pretty fortunate pick for the Pistons, becoming the NBA Rookie of the Year and then scoring the most points in the NBA the next year, and eventually ending up in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Not only was he a successful athlete who overcame two major eye injuries, he applied what he learned about teamwork and leadership to become a successful entrepreneur. He spent the down time during his years in the NBA by learning about business and finance both by reading books and by working for the finance and manufacturing industries. He got a job at the National Bank of Detroit (now part of J.P. Morgan Chase) after going in just to apply for a mortgage. After two years working in the auto industry for Paragon Steel he was ready to start his own business, Bing Steel. This would later become a part of the Bing Group and employ over a thousand people.

Not only was Bing employing Detroiters, he was serving as a positive African-American role model, raising money for schools, funding charities, spending 15 hours a week doing volunteer work, and redeveloping Detroit’s riverfront with upscale condos (until running for office). He’s been widely recognized for these merits.

“The easiest thing to do is quit on Detroit.” - David Bing

Detroit gave David Bing an opportunity to become an NBA star and then gave him an opportunity to make his riches and he’s been giving back ever since. He’s invested a lot of time, sweat, and money on improving Detroit instead of taking the easy route by quitting on Detroit.

Bing has already won the election so this isn’t an endorsement for the man. But he’s now our mayor. It would be easy for anyone to give up on Detroit’s $200 to $300 million budget deficit just as a would be for President Obama to give up on tackling the economic mess that he inherited. Here’s hoping that the team Mayor Bing puts together combined with his business community relationships and experience successfully leading companies and also his dedication and love for Detroit will turn out to be the best chance that Detroit has. At least until September when we have to elect a mayor again.

Chicago-based photographer/videographer James P. Morse followed Ghostly International artist Randolph Chabot, aka Deastro, around Detroit for a day and edited the footage into “Ghostly Presents: Deastro” with visits to his home and even John King’s Bookstore. You can catch him for a night in Ann Arbor at Necto this Sunday before he leaves for a UK tour.

Now may be the time to take advantage of the Detroit real estate market. Units at The Ellington Lofts at the Mack and Woodward could be had for as low as $95,000 for a one bedroom condo and units at the Riverfront could be had for as little as $60,000 for a one-bedroom new condo conversion. This is up to 69% below the previous asking price. To get access to these deals you need to register for an accelerated marketing partners option which will take place Saturday, May 9 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.

For more information on the Riverfront auction, please call (313) 393-5111 or visit www.auctionriverfront.com. For more information on The Ellington auction, please call (313) 309-0099 or visit www.auctionellington.com.

Talk about great deals for everyone except maybe those who already own units although this is better for current residents than leaving the units vacant. They could also take advantage of this deal and rent them out. And this is certainly a better option than those scams for Detroit homes on eBay.

If you search for Detroit real estate on eBay you’ll find some crazy cheap houses for sale. It’s true that if you look at particular neighborhoods in Detroit you’ll find incredibly cheap real estate. But if you’re just a speculator looking to buy cheap property expecting to be able to flip it fast you have to consider that the property may not be inhabitable and require some investment to get it up to code. There are also may be liens against the house, maybe water bills left unpaid. There are also going to be city property taxes to consider.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a cheap place to live for a while it might make sense for you to find a cheap house in Detroit especially if you’re a bit of a fixer-upper. You could also set up a business in the storefront at 15125 W Seven Mile Rd for less than $30,000, no liens or back taxes.

Some of the deals on eBay aren’t even for the actual house but rather just a down payment. For example one such deal is actually for: “The purchase price of this home is $22,000 with financing at $350 a month, with a 10% interest rate for 89 months.” As interest rates are pretty damn low right now paying 10% for the lifetime of the loan is just another trick. There are many of these listings and it’s clear that the current owner is a speculator who hasn’t had anybody live in these places before.

Then there’s this house: Tim Burke’s Art House on Heidelberg Street in Detroit, starting at half $1 million. As you might guess from the address it’s part of the Heidelberg Project.

“Many of my sculptures are made from metal, wood and other materials removed from demolished historical buildings throughout Detroit. This includes granite from the walls of Detroit Institute of Arts, wood timbers from the burned out Studebaker Automobile Plant, Travertine from the Detroit College of Law, Pewabic tiles from the Lucy Thurman YWCA, decorative terra-cotta embellishments from the J.L. Hudson Building and Rivera Theater. Much of the slate I use came from the roofs of various historic churches including Saint Patrick Cathedral, St. John’s-St. Luke’s, First Unitarian Church, St. Matthew’s Schoolhouse. Other materials incorporated in my are came from the Fisher Mansion in Palmer Woods, the Hiram Walker Mansion which became a part of Doctors Hospital, the Alexander Blain Clinic on Jefferson, the Historic Sibley House (circa 1847), the Detroiter Hotel to name a few.”

It’s a pretty famous house / piece of art. I’m a bit skeptical that it’s actually for sale.

As Proof’s third death anniversary approaches, the CEO of NBG Records contacted me and sent me an unreleased track that I will have the pleasure to review for all of you before its public and official release date, on April the 11th, 2009.

NBG Records wanted to present an emotional tribute to D12’s Proof, not a sad one, though, but rather a celebration of Proof’s short presence on planet earth.

As the song opens on flute sounds that recall some ancient Asian melodies, the strong spirit of the NBG emcees will break the wall of hidden memories, unveil Proof’s lifeand character.

“I am the living definition of the visual proof”, that’s actually how one could define Deshaun Holton, one of Detroit’s finest syllables architect.

Deshaun Holton was a man who lived for hip hop and who managed to communicate his passion and pride for Detroit, his hometown.

God loves the D, He gave us Proof, He gave us Dilla, He gave us Blade: how many gifted fallen soldiers has Detroit lost during the last years?
NBG Records will pay tribute to their memories.

In their song, Proof’s personality and dedication come to shine. Gossipers and haters’ words are ruined by the evidence of the visual proof.

Whoever witnessed Big Proof in concert, heard him address to the crowd would barely doubt the emcee’s sincerity and dedication. Proof lived for hip hop-literally. He put music above all.

Therefore, we will not focus on the tragic circumstances of his death, but embrace NBG Records’ vision of a charismatic man who incarnated Detroit hip hop like no other.

Moreover, and more than any other Detroit rapper, Big Proof aimed at reassembling all Detroit emcees despite their differences and make them work together. He symbolized unity, love and dedication to the genuine art of hip hop.

NBG’s Living Proof song is like an open book, a celebration of a genuine artist’s life. Things did not end on April the 11th, 2006: it was just the beginning. Proof’s music is meant to stay forever, let’s celebrate its perennity.

Admire the instrumental composition, the emotional voices and the truth that is revealead through this very emotional song.

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Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Global rating of the product:5 stars ( outstanding piece of work)

After his autobiographical The People Vs, Trick Trick is back with The Villain. Back to the Detroit slums, Trick Trick will give you the realest definition of a villain you could ever get. Hood as hell, accompanied by his Goon Sqwad crew, Christian Mathis always serves his dishes raw. The talented emcee belongs to the kind of emcees who don’t rap to please the masses. Authentic in his speech, rich of more than a decade of rapping experience, Trick Trick introduces you into his Edgar Poe alike universe where guns are laws.

Loud, orchestral sounds mixed up with keyboard sounds, rhythmic beats will smash internet thugs with no mercy. Trick Trick and his crew have made a name and are notorious in the D.

U Can Get F***** Up: electric guitars introduce the song, hanging over the sky like a bad omen of dark clouds before the tornado. Trick Trick and Goon Sqwad are warning you: if you go to Detroit, you should be very careful. Don’t play the fool with true Gs.
The song is rhythmic as well. I enjoyed its dark atmosphere, its menacing words, the roughness of its voices.

Who Want It features Eminem. Instrumentally, the song is a various composition and a contrasting balance between dark and light. Contrabass notes that suggest drama are intelligently married with organs, light bell sounds and electronics. The offensive spirit that is carried here is quite obvious.

Trick Trick’s part is wonderfully rough, scurillous. It is mastered with dexterity from the beginning to the end. I am a little bit disappointed by Eminem’s ways too light register that does not really fit into the darkness of the subject. I would have wished more aggressivity from Eminem’s side too.
It is interesting to note that the highly talented Luis Resto has been working on this song too.

Definitely Detroit based, Can’t F**** With My City includes Marwvon and Guilty Simpson’s collaborations. The light piano sounds will add to the tension of darker chord sounds. I like the spirit of the song. Made in Detroit, by Detroit lyrical emcees. Wonderful!

Sumthin 4 Da Hataz opens the curtain on Goon Sqwad’s Diezel, Fatt Father and Paradime’s talents. What I really appreciate is the swinging jazzy- soul instrumental background, the humorous and conquerror spirit of the Detroit emcees. Definitely a must hear.

Let’s Work is already a Trick Trick classic that should belong to any Detroit hip hop lover’s library. Don’t miss the video for the song. It is a perfectionist’s work.

Hold On again has that beautiful soul spirit mixed up with some very raw elements in which Trick Trick gets real as can be.
I like the biographical elements the talented emcee presents to his public.

Wow…Let It Fly includes heavyweight Westcoast master Ice Cube…you gotta love the song, that enlightens both emcees’ talent. Lil Jon also participates to the song.

All Around The World will impress real hip hop lovers. Royce da 5.9 and Trick Trick manage to mix up a gospel, soul, blues spirit in which vocals do matter. Tuba sounds add a quite comical elements. It is beautifully managed from the begiining to the end.
Loved it!

2Getha 4 Eva features Esham, Kid Rock and Proof. It is hardcore as hell.

Get It Cracking enlighten Trick Trick’s raspy voice, his rough spirit. He is truly killing it. Pleasure your ears with pure, raw Detroit sounds.

Globally speaking, The Villain is an amazing piece of work. Straight ghetto talk, mastered instrumentals, excellent local Detroit collaborations. Don’t sleep on the album, it is the living proof that hip hop ain’t dead yet.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved